''Freesia'' is a

genus Genus (; : genera ) is a taxonomic rank above species and below family (taxonomy), family as used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In bino ...

herbaceous Herbaceous plants are vascular plants that have no persistent woody stems above ground. This broad category of plants includes many perennials, and nearly all annuals and biennials. Definitions of "herb" and "herbaceous" The fourth edition of ...

perennial In horticulture, the term perennial ('' per-'' + '' -ennial'', "through the year") is used to differentiate a plant from shorter-lived annuals and biennials. It has thus been defined as a plant that lives more than 2 years. The term is also ...

flowering plant Flowering plants are plants that bear flowers and fruits, and form the clade Angiospermae (). The term angiosperm is derived from the Ancient Greek, Greek words (; 'container, vessel') and (; 'seed'), meaning that the seeds are enclosed with ...

s in the family

Iridaceae Iridaceae () is a family of plants in order Asparagales, taking its name from the Iris (plant), irises. It has a nearly global distribution, with 69 accepted genera with a total of about 2500 species. It includes a number of economically importan ...

, first described as a genus in 1866 by

Christian Friedrich Ecklon Christian Friedrich Ecklon (17 December 1795 – 1 December 1868) was a Denmark, Danish botany, botanical collector and apothecary. Ecklon is especially known for being an avid collector and researcher of plants in South Africa. Biography Ecklon ...

(1886) and named after the German botanist and medical practitioner, Friedrich Freese (1795–1876). It is native to the eastern side of southern Africa, from

Kenya Kenya, officially the Republic of Kenya, is a country located in East Africa. With an estimated population of more than 52.4 million as of mid-2024, Kenya is the 27th-most-populous country in the world and the 7th most populous in Africa. ...

south to

South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the Southern Africa, southernmost country in Africa. Its Provinces of South Africa, nine provinces are bounded to the south by of coastline that stretches along the Atlantic O ...

, most species being found in

Cape Provinces The Cape Provinces of South Africa is a biogeographical area used in the World Geographical Scheme for Recording Plant Distributions (WGSRPD). It is part of the WGSRPD region 27 Southern Africa. The area has the code "CPP". It includes the Sou ...

. Species of the former genus ''Anomatheca'' are now included in ''Freesia''. The plants commonly known as "freesias", with fragrant funnel-shaped flowers, are cultivated hybrids of a number of ''Freesia'' species. Some other species are also grown as ornamental plants.

Description

They are

plants which grow from a conical

corm Corm, bulbo-tuber, or bulbotuber is a short, vertical, swollen, underground plant stem that serves as a storage organ that some plants use to survive winter or other adverse conditions such as summer drought and heat (perennation). The word ''c ...

diameter, which sends up a tuft of narrow

leaves A leaf (: leaves) is a principal appendage of the stem of a vascular plant, usually borne laterally above ground and specialized for photosynthesis. Leaves are collectively called foliage, as in "autumn foliage", while the leaves, stem, ...

long, and a sparsely branched stem tall bearing a few leaves and a loose one-sided spike of

flower Flowers, also known as blooms and blossoms, are the reproductive structures of flowering plants ( angiosperms). Typically, they are structured in four circular levels, called whorls, around the end of a stalk. These whorls include: calyx, m ...

s with six

petal Petals are modified leaves that form an inner whorl surrounding the reproductive parts of flowers. They are often brightly coloured or unusually shaped to attract pollinators. All of the petals of a flower are collectively known as the ''corol ...

s. Many species have fragrant narrowly funnel-shaped

s, although those formerly placed in the genus ''Anomatheca'', such as '' F. laxa'', have flat flowers. Freesias are used as food plants by the

larva A larva (; : larvae ) is a distinct juvenile form many animals undergo before metamorphosis into their next life stage. Animals with indirect development such as insects, some arachnids, amphibians, or cnidarians typically have a larval phase ...

e of some

Lepidoptera Lepidoptera ( ) or lepidopterans is an order (biology), order of winged insects which includes butterflies and moths. About 180,000 species of the Lepidoptera have been described, representing 10% of the total described species of living organ ...

species including the

large yellow underwing The large yellow underwing (''Noctua pronuba'') is a moth, the type species for the family Noctuidae. It is an abundant species throughout the Palearctic realm, one of the most common and most familiar moths of the region. In some years the speci ...

Systematics

The genus was named in honor of Friedrich Heinrich Theodor Freese (1795–1876), a German physician. ; SpeciesSearch for "Freesia", * ''

Freesia andersoniae ''Freesia'' is a genus of herbaceous perennial flowering plants in the family Iridaceae, first described as a genus in 1866 by Christian Friedrich Ecklon (1886) and named after the German botanist and medical practitioner, Friedrich Freese (1795 ...

'' L.Bolus - the

, Free State * ''

Freesia caryophyllacea ''Freesia'' is a genus of herbaceous perennial flowering plants in the family Iridaceae, first described as a genus in 1866 by Christian Friedrich Ecklon (1886) and named after the German botanist and medical practitioner, Friedrich Freese (1795 ...

'' (Burm.f.) N.E.Br. (syn. ''F. elimensis'' L.Bolus, ''F. parva'' N.E.Br., ''F. xanthospila'' (DC.) Klatt) - Heuningrug region in the Cape Provinces * ''

Freesia corymbosa ''Freesia'' is a genus of herbaceous perennial flowering plants in the family Iridaceae, first described as a genus in 1866 by Christian Friedrich Ecklon (1886) and named after the German botanist and medical practitioner, Friedrich Freese (1795 ...

'' (Burm.f.) N.E.Br. (syn. ''F. armstrongii'' W.Watson, ''F. brevis'' N.E.Br., ''F. aurea'' Hend., ''F. odorata'' (G.Lodd. ex Bosse) Eckl. ex Klatt) - the Cape Provinces * ''

Freesia fergusoniae ''Freesia'' is a genus of herbaceous perennial flowering plants in the family Iridaceae, first described as a genus in 1866 by Christian Friedrich Ecklon (1886) and named after the German botanist and medical practitioner, Friedrich Freese (1795 ...

'' L.Bolus - the Cape Provinces * ''

Freesia fucata ''Freesia'' is a genus of herbaceous perennial flowering plants in the family Iridaceae, first described as a genus in 1866 by Christian Friedrich Ecklon (1886) and named after the German botanist and medical practitioner, Friedrich Freese (1795 ...

'' J.C.Manning & Goldblatt - Hoeks River Valley in the Cape Provinces * ''

Freesia grandiflora ''Freesia'' is a genus of herbaceous perennial flowering plants in the family Iridaceae, first described as a genus in 1866 by Christian Friedrich Ecklon (1886) and named after the German botanist and medical practitioner, Friedrich Freese (1795 ...

'' (Baker) Klatt - Zaire, Tanzania, Malawi, Mozambique, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Eswatini, northeastern South Africa * ''

Freesia laxa ''Freesia laxa'', commonly known as flowering grass, is a small species of cormous flowering plant in the family Iridaceae, from eastern and southern Africa, from Kenya to northeastern South Africa. It is grown in gardens as an ornamental plant. ...

'' (Thunb.) Goldblatt & J.C.Manning (syn. ''F. cruenta'' (Lindl.) Klatt) - from Rwanda + Kenya south to the Cape Provinces; naturalized in Madeira, Mauritius, Réunion, Australia, Florida, Argentina * ''

Freesia leichtlinii ''Freesia leichtlinii'' is a species of herb in the family Iridaceae Iridaceae () is a family of plants in order Asparagales, taking its name from the Iris (plant), irises. It has a nearly global distribution, with 69 accepted genera with a to ...

'' Klatt (syn. ''F. middlemostii'' F.Barker, ''F. muirii'' N.E.Br., ''Freesia alba'' G.L.Mey. = ''F. leichtlinii subsp. alba'' (G.L.Mey.) J.C.Manning & Goldblatt) - the Cape Provinces; naturalized in Corsica, California, Florida, Argentina * ''

Freesia marginata ''Freesia'' is a genus of herbaceous perennial flowering plants in the family Iridaceae, first described as a genus in 1866 by Christian Friedrich Ecklon (1886) and named after the German botanist and medical practitioner, Friedrich Freese (1795 ...

'' J.C.Manning & Goldblatt - the Cape Provinces * ''

Freesia occidentalis ''Freesia'' is a genus of herbaceous perennial flowering plants in the family Iridaceae, first described as a genus in 1866 by Christian Friedrich Ecklon (1886) and named after the German botanist and medical practitioner, Friedrich Freese (1795 ...

'' L.Bolus (syn. ''F. framesii'' L.Bolus) - the Cape Provinces * ''

Freesia praecox ''Freesia'' is a genus of herbaceous perennial flowering plants in the family Iridaceae, first described as a genus in 1866 by Christian Friedrich Ecklon (1886) and named after the German botanist and medical practitioner, Friedrich Freese (1795 ...

'' J.C.Manning & Goldblatt - the Cape Provinces * ''

Freesia refracta ''Freesia'' is a genus of herbaceous perennial flowering plants in the family Iridaceae, first described as a genus in 1866 by Christian Friedrich Ecklon (1886) and named after the German botanist and medical practitioner, Friedrich Freese (1795 ...

'' (Jacq.) Klatt (syn. ''F. hurlingii'' L.Bolus) - the Cape Provinces; naturalized in France, Canary Islands, Madeira, Bermuda, St. Helena * ''

Freesia sparrmanii ''Freesia'' is a genus of herbaceous perennial flowering plants in the family Iridaceae, first described as a genus in 1866 by Christian Friedrich Ecklon (1886) and named after the German botanist and medical practitioner, Friedrich Freese (1795 ...

'' (Thunb.) N.E.Br. - Langeberg in the Cape Provinces * ''

Freesia speciosa ''Freesia'' is a genus of herbaceous perennial flowering plants in the family Iridaceae, first described as a genus in 1866 by Christian Friedrich Ecklon (1886) and named after the German botanist and medical practitioner, Friedrich Freese (1795 ...

'' L.Bolus (syn. ''F. flava'' (E.Phillips & N.E.Br.) N.E.Br.) - the Cape Provinces * '' Freesia verrucosa'' (B.Vogel) Goldblatt & J.C.Manning (syn. ''F. juncea'' (Pourr.) Klatt) - the Cape Provinces * '' Freesia viridis'' (Aiton) Goldblatt & J.C.Manning - Namibia, the Cape Provinces Species of the former genus ''Anomatheca'' are now included in ''Freesia'': * ''Anomatheca cruenta'' Lindl. = ''

'' subsp. ''laxa'' * ''Anomatheca grandiflora'' Baker = ''

'' * ''Anomatheca juncea'' (Pourr.) Ker Gawl. = '' Freesia verrucosa'' * ''Anomatheca laxa'' (Thunb.) Goldblatt = ''

'' * ''Anomatheca verrucosa'' (B.Vogel) Goldblatt = '' Freesia verrucosa'' * ''Anomatheca viridis'' (Aiton) Goldblatt = '' Freesia viridis'' * ''Anomatheca xanthospila'' (DC.) Ker Gawl. = ''

Cultivation and uses

The plants usually called "freesias" in horticulture and floristry are derived from crosses made in the 19th century between ''Freesia refracta'' and ''Freesia leichtlinii''. Numerous

cultivar A cultivar is a kind of Horticulture, cultivated plant that people have selected for desired phenotypic trait, traits and which retains those traits when Plant propagation, propagated. Methods used to propagate cultivars include division, root a ...

s have been bred from these species and the pink- and yellow-flowered forms of ''Freesia corymbosa''. Modern

tetraploid Polyploidy is a condition in which the cells of an organism have more than two paired sets of ( homologous) chromosomes. Most species whose cells have nuclei (eukaryotes) are diploid, meaning they have two complete sets of chromosomes, one fro ...

cultivars have flowers ranging from white to yellow, pink, red and blue-mauve. They are mostly cultivated professionally in the Netherlands by about 80 growers.Dutch flowerpaper, Bloemenkrant, publisher Verhagen, week 12-2015, see also http://issuu.com/twovisions/docs/bk_week_12_15?e=1360358/11894263 Freesias can be readily increased from seed. Due to their specific and pleasing scent, they are often used in hand creams, shampoos, candles, etc.; however, the flowers themselves are mainly used in wedding bouquets. ''Freesia laxa'' (formerly called ''Lapeirousia laxa'' or ''Anomatheca cruenta'') is one of the other species of the genus which is commonly cultivated. Smaller than the scented freesia cultivars, it has flat rather than cup-shaped flowers., p. 9, p. 18 File:Freesia refracta (Jacq.) Klatt (AM AK333551-2).jpg, Freesia plants in native habitat File:Flower March 2010-2.jpg, ''Freesia alba'' (''F. leichtlinii subsp. alba'') File:Freesia caryophyllacea 1DS-II 1-8705.jpg, ''Freesia caryophyllacea'' File:Freesia corymbosa KirstenboshBotGard09292010wildformB.jpg, ''Freesia corymbosa'' File:Freesia grandiflora KirstenboshBotGard09292010A.jpg, ''Freesia grandiflora'' File:Anomatheca laxa01.JPG, ''Freesia laxa'' File:FreesiaRefracta2.jpg, ''Freesia refracta'' (garden

) File:PikiWiki Israel 42309 Plants of Israel.JPG, Variety of freesia cultivars File:Purple Freesia.jpg,

Mauve Mauve ( ; ) is a pale purple color named after the mallow flower (French: ). The first use of the word ''mauve'' as a color was in 1796–1798 according to the ''Oxford English Dictionary'', but its use seems to have been rare before 1859. ...

-colored freesia cultivar File:Freesia verrucosa 97692625.jpg, ''Freesia verrucosa'' File:Freesia viridis.jpg, ''Freesia viridis'' in

Curtis's Botanical Magazine ''The Botanical Magazine; or Flower-Garden Displayed'', is an illustrated publication which began in 1787. The longest running botanical magazine, it is widely referred to by the subsequent name ''Curtis's Botanical Magazine''. Each of the issue ...

, Volume 31: t. 1275, as ''Tritonia viridis'' File:Freesia viridis crispifolia 15935754.jpg, ''Freesia viridis subsp. crispifolia''

References

Bibliography

* * Goldblatt, P. (1982) Systematics of ''Freesia'' Klatt (Iridaceae) J. South African Bot. 48:39-93.

External links

*
Freesias photos of International Bulb Society

Freesias photos of Pacific Bulb Society

Freesia info and pictures

{{Authority control Iridaceae genera Flora of the Afrotropical realm